


Simply Her

by Paige242



Category: The Bureau of Magical Things
Genre: F/M, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-08-20 23:22:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16565066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paige242/pseuds/Paige242
Summary: Thirteen years in the future, Kyra thinks about her life, magic, and her newborn son.





	1. Chapter 1

Her life had not been “normal” since that fateful night in the woods nearly thirteen years ago.

She had touched a magical book and been bestowed with powers she never could have imagined. She had been thrown into a world so different from her own—a world full of elves and fairies and all sorts of fascinating magical people.

Some days, it still filled her with unimaginable awe. She would pause for a moment and wonder how a simple human girl had ended up with such a strange and unusual life. But if there was one thing Kyra had learned over the years it was that it was better not to question the workings of magic. All things happened for a reason, her magical friends liked to say. And they all accepted her presence without any qualms.

Usually, she managed to accept things as they were too. But today, in that moment, her bizarre reality was filling her with more doubt and worry than it had in years.

As she held her newborn on in her arms, it was hard for the young woman not to think about what lay ahead…and what she had left behind.

Her son was perfect in her eyes. Of course he was. But in the two short weeks since his birth she had begun to feel more disconnected from her roots than she ever had before.  Kyra felt guilty for dwelling on such things but, as she sat alone in the dimly lit room rocking the child back and forth, she could not keep the thoughts from her mind.

When the doctor had handed him to her, after hours of painful labour, she had been unable to hide the look of surprise on her face. Despite her origins and her complex mixture of elf, fairy and human, the boy’s appearance clearly favoured one strain over the others—his long, pointed ears marked him as elven and she could still recall tracing her fingers along them as she tried to process that fact.

It probably should not have been as surprising as it was. His father was an elf, after all, and that alone had always meant that there was a chance. But every halfling she had ever met had looked entirely human and, during one discussion, her old professor (himself an elven halfling) had informed her that this was standard. Half-elves had a human appearance and elven magic. No one knew why but that was simply a fact.

Kyra had assumed that her first child would be the same.

Her triling powers were the result of a magical accident and she had reasoned that this had probably not changed her genetic makeup. Scientifically, her son would be half-human and half- elf.

Or so they had thought.

But, apparently, something had tipped the balance. The elven powers she had received must have been enough to make the child less than half-human and thus he looked unmistakably like his father’s son.  

Adrien Blackwell would always be an elf in the eyes of onlookers.

Needless to say, it had not lessened her admiration for her beautiful boy. Her husband was undeniably handsome and she had always loved his adorably pointed ears. After ten years together, it was impossible to picture herself with a human man. Plus, Kyra’s heart had swelled as he looked down at their son with love and adoration, so proud that the boy had taken after him.

Darra had been thrilled by their little elf and she was pretty sure that the other members of the Blackwell family were relieved that the boy was one of their own. Her gruff father-in-law had grown to tolerate her over the years, but it was no secret that he would have preferred his son and heir to marry another elf. The man’s eyes had shone with delight as soon as he had caught sight of the first member of the next generation.

After her initial shock, Kyra had done her best to mask any worries that Adrien’s unexpected appearance had caused. She never wanted Darra to think she held any sort of prejudice against his people—and truly, she did not.

But when she looked down at the tiny elf in her arms she could no longer deny that her life in the human world was more-or-less over.

They had never really discussed it during her pregnancy, but part of her had wanted her child to start out life the way she had. She had liked the thought of him attending a regular school during his younger years before eventually transitioning into his magical training. There were magical schools for young children, of course, but they were small and going to one of those would mean that Adrien would grow up without any contact with the human world. Darra didn’t find that strange at all (he had grown up that way, of course)—but to her, it seemed so isolated. Like it or not, most people on the planet were human. She had been born human. And Kyra wanted her child to feel comfortable in that world.

But that option was completely off the table now. It was unsafe to use a masking spell on any child under the age of six and that meant that Adrien would not even be able to freely interact with humans before then. They couldn’t very well send him to school with a hat secured to his head day in and day out.

And, as she had learned the hard way, there was an even bigger consequence that she still found difficult to accept.

When her stepfather had first come to visit the child, beaming at the thought of meeting his first grandson, they had made a terrible discovery. Apparently, Adrien was too magical to be seen by humans. Her dad had been unable to even look at the boy and, while he had done his best to put on a brave face, it had broken her heart.

As was the case with all fully magical beings, he was inviable to those without magic.

Darra and Maxwell were currently looking into the matter, but the thought of trying experimental charms on her newborn baby was unsettling as well. She wanted her human friends and family to be part of his life—but she didn’t want it to be a risk. Until Adrien was old enough to master the magic required to reveal himself to humans he might have to remain strictly in the magical world.

In the exhaustion of the past two weeks, Kyra had done her best not to think the worst in that regard. The professor was brilliant and if anyone could figure out a spell to make the child visible to humans then it would be him.

But, for now, it was only Darra’s family who had been able to fully share in the joy of Adrien’s first few weeks. And there was no denying how unfair that felt.

Although she had thought about it, Kyra had not yet discussed all of her emotions with her husband. Darra was sweet and caring, but she also knew that he could never really understand what she was going through. They had always lived in his world and his son was clearly a part of it. He saw how hard the visit from her stepfather had been and had vowed to solve their predicament—but she hesitated to tell him how alone this had made her feel. She didn’t want to think he wasn’t enough for her, or that she regretted choosing a life with a magical being in the magical world.

She didn’t regret those things. She loved her husband and her son and the beautiful life they had created.

But that didn’t make the current situation any easier.

Adrien, who had been nestled peacefully in her arms, let out a quiet coo, distracting the new mother from her thoughts. Looking down into his wide brown eyes always made things better, she mused with a small smile.

“Mummy loves you so much.” She whispered, her voice instantly soothing his hint of unrest.

Kyra placed a gentle kiss on the boy’s head before drawing back, her thumb now running gently down the side of his long ear.

“You’ll always be my special little boy.”

Even though he was too young to understand, she could have sworn that he smiled and she gave a quiet chuckle before she began to rock him gently back and forth. It was getting late now, and she prayed that he would soon drift off into a peaceful slumber. The last few nights had been difficult, to say the least, and she was exhausted from being up with him for most of the previous night.

Darra had scheduled as much time as he could off work to help out but he had to go in that morning for a long day of unavoidable meetings. He had assured her that he was still game to share the parental duties that night, but she had not had the heart to wake him from his restful sleep. Kyra appreciated everything he did but she’d wanted him to have a decent first day back.

He was still fairly new at his job—he had only taken it on a few weeks after they found out she was pregnant. A lot of discussion had proceeded that decision but Darra had assured her that this was what he wanted to do. Kyra had been less than convinced but so far he seemed to be enjoying it more than expected (or he was pretending to, at least). When she had first met him thirteen years ago, she never would have guessed that he would one day follow his father’s wishes and take up a position as a chairman at the royal treasury. Darra wasn’t really the business suit wearing type (though she had to admit he looked quite handsome in them) and he’d started his career as a spell tester at the DMI.

But the magical world was still rather old fashioned in some regards and the Blackwell men had been the overseers of the magical world’s finances ever since they had relinquished their royal titles hundreds of years ago. It was a prestigious hereditary position—not to mention a lucrative one—and Darra had sworn that he was ready to take his rightful place. Finding out that they were expecting had caused a jolt of seriousness in him and he said he wanted to provide for his family in the best way that he could.

Kyra had found this sweet, if a bit antiquated, but she did not want to tell him not to try what he felt compelled to do. Nevertheless, they had both agreed that he would walk away from it at any time if he did not find satisfaction. It wasn’t as if they had been impoverished during his tenure at the DMI (Kyra worked there too, a field agent alongside her sister-in-law, Imogen)—things would be fine no matter what. As long as they were together.

The Blackwell family fortune, another relic of their days as elven royalty, was also more than enough to live comfortably. When they had gotten married, Darra’s father had (somewhat begrudgingly) gifted them with a beautiful country manor that had been in the family for generations. It wasn’t quite as big as the near-castle Darra had grown up in, but it was grander than anything Kyra could have ever imagined as a child. The room she was currently sitting in was her favourite, with its marble fireplace and ornately carved gold-leaf walls. But even after four years, the manor did not quite feel like home. It was a surreal and otherworldly place to the girl who had come from humble beginnings—but they were happy there and she supposed that it would continue to grow on her over time.

Still, a part of her did worry that the feeling of disconnect would always remain.

She had been born human, grown up in a modest house, gone to a regular school and had regular friends. Once, she had expected her life to be straightforward and simple.

And yet, somehow, Kyra Glenn ‘regular girl’ had become Kyra Blackwell ‘magical being and member of the world’s most prominent elven family.’

Magic had consumed almost everything else now and things would never be simple again.

Kyra knew that she wouldn’t trade her husband and son for anything, but that still did not mean that everything about her life felt natural. Even after all this time.  

She knew that more now than ever.

Her son, for all intents and purposes, was an elf. As she gazed down at the tiny boy once more it struck her that he looked more at home in these surroundings than she ever would. He was teeming with magic—he was barely two weeks old, but they had already seen a blue sparks illuminating the ends of his delicate fingers on several occasions. That was a good thing, she supposed.

This was his world and it always would be.

Adrien Blackwell would one day be the head of his famous family line. He too would probably follow in his father’s footsteps, as all had done before him. It was strange to think that so much of his life was already laid out before him, just because of what he had been born into.

Silently, she hoped that he would have the strength to forge his own path if that was what he desired. But even Darra hadn’t managed that, in the end.

Honour and tradition were so highly valued in the magical world. (Too highly, perhaps).

As if on cue, a cracking noise echoed through the room as a blue flash revealed the form of her husband. He looked a bit tired but as soon as he caught sight of her and Adrien his face broke into a wide smile.

Kyra had always loved that handsome boyish grin. That, at least, would never change.  

After loosening his tie, he took a few large strides forward, leaned down, and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. When they broke apart, Kyra let out a calm sigh before returning his smile. Despite her worries, being with Darra always helped to put her at ease. When it was just them, it often felt like nothing else mattered.  

“How are my beautiful wife and my perfect little prince?” He asked before gently reaching towards his son and brushing his fingers along the boy’s dark tuft of hair. “Were you a good boy for your mum today?”

Kyra nodded, revelling in the simplicity of this peaceful moment.

Love and family.

Those things were the same no matter what world you belonged to.

“He was a little fussy this morning, but the afternoon was better.” She began, trying to suppress a yawn. “He didn’t sleep a wink, though.”

Darra winced, clearly sympathetic to her long day with the sleepless baby.  She could sense his guilt and quickly reassured him.

“Don’t worry,” she said with a playful wink, “you’ll be home tomorrow and I’m looking forward to a solid morning of sleep while you keep him entertained.”

He nodded, clearly on board with the plan, before sitting down on the couch next to her and letting out a long sigh. “I missed you guys so much today.” He said, tickling Adrien’s tummy for a moment before looking up at her. “Now that all of the foreign investors are heading back home I told my dad that I can only put in a couple of days a week until this little guy gets into a routine.”

That sounded good to her and she was happy that Darra’s new job seemed to be quite flexible. She supposed that was the advantage of being the son of the boss, and the heir apparent. It was unusual, perhaps, but she wasn’t going to question it. Things were much easier when they were a team. It would be nice to have him home tomorrow.

“Did I miss anything exciting?” He asked as he gently scooped up his son, relieving her tired arms. The boy cooed happily on his father’s lap, his legs kicking upwards with excitement.

“Not too much.” Kyra said, scooting over a few inches so that she could rest her head on his broad shoulder. Adrien reached up towards her, trying to grasp her long dark hair. She smiled.

“His fingers started glowing again for a few seconds after lunch today,” the young woman recalled, still looking down at the infant. She had been surprised to see him exhibit magic so soon after his birth (the first occurrence had been at only four days old) and she could not help but wonder how quickly things would develop.

Even without turning her head, she could tell that Darra was smiling. “Really?” He asked, his voice laced with excitement. “Good boy, Adrien! Can you do it again for daddy? Here, watch this.”

There was a pause as Darra moved his right hand into the child’s line of vision and summoned a bright blue glow. The baby kicked with apparent excitement again, now reaching out towards his father’s magical glow. A moment later, the glow burst into the shower of tiny stars which flittered down before dissolving into thin air.

It was a beautiful little trick, and not one that Kyra had ever seen before.

Before she could ask about it, however, Darra began to explain.

“Creating stardust is usually the first thing elven babies are able to do.” He said, stilling smiling at his young son. “I think I first did it when I was about five weeks old. But our little man is so smart and gifted, just like his mummy, I bet he’ll do it sooner.”

For a second, Kyra thought about pointing out that he would not be ‘just like his mummy’—she had certainly not been producing stardust as a newborn and she had to wonder how many other unexpected milestones awaited. Darra was so much more equipped to deal with these things, it was all second nature to him. Normal. But it wasn’t for her and, perhaps naively, she had not expected to feel this overwhelmed by the magical aspects of parenthood.

“Maybe.” She whispered, trying her best to mask her worries. It was hard not to feel inadequate sometimes. All new parents did—and it was probably even more stark when raising a child who wasn’t exactly the same species.

“I’m going to make a cup of tea, do you want one?” She asked, hoping that a quick walk though the halls of the manor would help to clear her head.

“Sure, but I can just—” Darra began to raise his fingers again, clearly intending to do things the magical way, but Kyra shook her head. She had insisted on installing a pretty standard kitchen when they had moved in. Cooking and baking were soothing pass times for her and she still enjoyed doing those things the human way.

“I want to stretch my legs, I’ll go to the kitchen.” She said, standing up from her spot. She had been there for quite a long while, and a stretch really did feel like a good thing.    

“Okay,” he replied, with that warm smile that had long ago-captured her heart. “I’ll keep the little guy entertained.”

Kyra began to walk towards the hall but she found herself pausing as she reached the door. Turning her head, she watched as Darra sent another wave of beautiful stars into the air, briefly illuminating the area around him with the blue glow of his magic.

Adrien watched, enthralled by the display, before reaching his hand up towards his father. Even from several metres away, she could see the magical light forming around his tiny hand.

Kyra instantly felt a smile on her face as she looked towards them. There was no denying that it was a beautiful and heartwarming sight.

They were radiating with love.

Sharing their magic.

Everything about the scene seemed so natural and tranquil. An elven father and his son, with pointed ears and glowing blue fingers.

It simply fit.

But she could not help but wonder how out of place she had looked just moments before. There was no doubt that her love ran deep and strong. This was her family— she never wanted them to change and she adored them both exactly as they were.

And she was grateful that Adrien would probably never feel as lost as she often had. He wasn’t trapped between two worlds and he would always have a place at his father’s side.

He was a Blackwell and an elf. Those were both advantages in the eyes of the magical world.

But she would never truly be either of those things.

And she could only hope that simply being her was enough.


	2. Chapter 2

“How’s my favourite little grandson?”

“What a handsome little boy you are!”

Kyra stood back and watched as her in-laws snuggled the infant, wide smiles on their faces.

They may not have been her biggest fan, but it was nice that they did not seem to harbour any ill will towards their grandchild. Before his birth, she had worried that they might not fully accept him—there had been progress over the years, but they had never really accepted her. 

When she and Darra had first started dating, there had been many explosive arguments about his “unusual” choice for a partner. She had witnessed some of them and she was certain that even more had taken place behind closed doors. He’d always rolled his eyes and dismissed it as silly non-sense, but she knew how they truly felt.

The Blackwell’s were very well-to-do people and it was no secret that they wanted their son to marry an elf of similarly high social standing.

In their eyes, she would never be good enough for their treasured son.

They had eventually decided to give her a chance, though. Their love for their son forced them to grin and bear her presence and she was glad they were decent enough to (eventually) put on a neutral façade. She knew that their niceties were still somewhat forced but, to keep the peace, Kyra did her best to accept it for what it was. She and Darra were happy together and his parents were too busy with their work and social engagements to play too large a role in their lives.

That was, until Adrien had been born.

She had seen more of Jared and Amelia Blackwell in the last two months than she ever had before. They had the decency to call ahead, at least, but they had found excuses to come by or have them over at least twice a week since the baby had arrived. Not because they had warmed to her, obviously, but because they were enamoured with their tiny new grandchild.

There was nothing wrong with that, of course. She was glad that Adrien was surrounded by love. But she had to wonder if things would have been the same if her son had happened to look more like her. Like the “human” they struggled to accept for the sake of their son. Kyra wanted to think that they would have loved him unconditionally, but she would never be sure of that.

The Blackwell’s were old fashioned people and when Jared had first laid eyes on the child he had let out a relieved proclamation of “thank goodness!”   Amelia had a little more tact, at least, but Kyra had seen the relief and delight in her eyes as well.

As she looked over at the tall, elegant elven woman—who was currently bouncing her grandson on her knee—she felt a slight pang in her chest. She had been doing her best to keep her jealousy at bay, but it was hard to watch the pair without thinking about her own mother and wishing that things could have been different.

Her mum had passed away sixteen years ago but it was still hard to accept that she was gone forever. Adrien’s birth had made her miss the woman even more than she already did. She wanted her own mother to hold the boy, to love him as much as everyone else did.  And she wished that she had someone to turn to for motherly support and advice.

Kyra knew that some people were close to their mother-in-laws and it would have been nice if Amelia Blackwell had been the warm and supportive type. But that simply wasn’t her. The woman had been born into a life of luxury and she radiated elegance and sophistication. It was rare to see her without her trademark pearls, her lean form draped in her latest designer frock. She had spent her life galivanting around the globe, mingling with the best and brightest in the magical world—leaving Darra and Imogen to be raised by various nannies and caretakers.

It wasn’t that she did not love them. Her pride in her children had always been clear, and it seemed that she already felt similarly about her new grandson. But she was not the sort of person who was willing to get down and dirty when she could simply pay others to do unpleasant tasks.

Kyra could still remember how intimidated she had been when she had first met the woman. Even in middle age, she remained stunningly beautiful and she had wondered why Darra hadn’t pursued a similar stunning elven heiress as his parents so clearly wished. He was wealthy and handsome, and Kyra knew that many young elven girls had fought for his eye before they had met. But, for some reason, he had only wanted the sporty and down to earth “regular girl.” And she had fallen for him, still largely clueless about his family and their past.

Fitting in here had always been a struggle and, as she looked around the huge and ornate dining hall of Blackwood castle, she had to shake her head to remind herself that this was reality.

Amelia and Jared had invited them for a Sunday dinner, alongside Imogen and her new boyfriend, Cian. Kyra had already met the man on a couple of occasions and had found him to be good company—it was nice to see Imogen so happy (for a change), and her parents were clearly thrilled that he had made a more traditional choice. Imogen’s new beau was an elf, from a family the Blackwell’s had heard of, apparently. And he had already been welcomed into the home with more warmth that she ever would be.

She and Darra had exchanged an annoyed glance earlier as his mother had embraced the new arrival with an excited hug.

Kyra didn’t hold it against Imogen or Cian, of course, but their presence provided yet another reminder of how hard it was for her to fit in.

They were all sitting around the huge dining room table now, the remains of their dinner waiting to be cleared by the castle’s waiting staff. She had done her best to clear her plate, but a few of the traditional elven dishes that had been served were not really to her liking. As she had discovered years ago, magical people had a taste for a few strange things and she had never really acquired that, despite her magic. The strange spices on the stewed pepper snapper were particularly not to her taste and, as always, Darra had helped her out by scooping some of it on to his plate when no one else was looking.

Kyra wasn’t always sure why she played the game of pretending to be “normal” by their standards. She did not want to be fake. It was just easier that way, she supposed, and she didn’t really have the energy to stoke any unnecessary fires.

She was in an elven home, surrounded by elves, and it seemed best not to draw attention to her differences.

“He did it again yesterday,” Darra said, a boyish excitement in his voice as he looked over at his son (who was still cooing on his grandmother’s lap).

A grin spread across Jared Blackwell’s face as he reached over and brushed his hand against the boy’s chubby cheek.

“Atta boy, Adrien,” He said, looking down with clear adoration. “You’re a talented little guy, aren’t you? A true Blackwell.”

They had been discussing Adrien’s first signs of magic and, like most newborn elves, he had summoned a burst of stars a couple of weeks ago. His first magical display. Kyra had been proud too, but apparently this was a pretty big deal in the elven community and Darra had instantly told his sister and parents what the boy had achieved…and they had arrived with a bottle of champagne to celebrate. She had enjoyed seeing her husband’s pride and excitement—but her in-law’s relief had been less charming. Clearly, they had still been worried that the boy’s unique lineage would disrupt the usual magical milestones.

“Darra had his first display at five weeks too,” Amelia commented in her soft Irish lilt as she turned towards Kyra.

Kyra nodded back but before she could reply the woman had turned towards Imogen and Cian, a smile now on her face.

“What about you, Cian?” She asked the new arrival curiously. “Imogen was only four and a half weeks, but she was always ahead of the game.”

The young woman smirked for a moment before turning towards her brother and playfully sticking out her tongue. Darra rolled his eyes in return, but they were both smiling a moment later—their sibling rivalry was more of a game than anything, and there was little resentment between the two.  Kyra had always enjoyed her sister-in-law’s company and having her there at family gatherings always made things a bit better. She was a friend and ally, always ready to jump to Kyra’s defense if need be.

“Six and a half weeks for me.” The young man answered before taking another sip of his wine. “But, in my defense, I mastered jumping at four years old—top of my class.” He winked at Imogen and it was clear that they’d had this conversation before.

The girl gave him a playful nudge before scowling at her boyfriend. “I never should have told you my one weakness.” She muttered, a hint of amusement in her voice. Imogen had the art of ‘looking grumpy’ down pat, but it was clear that she didn’t actually mind the slight jab.

“Immo was almost six.” Darra noted, turning towards his wife with a quiet chuckle. “But don’t worry, I’m sure our little guy won’t be as slow as his aunt.”

His sister scowled at him again and Kyra laughed at the exchange. Their antics were always amusing, but her smile faded as glanced over at Adrien in his grandmother’s arms. She had known that jumping was usually mastered early, but she had not really thought about that fact that her little guy might be able to transport himself almost anywhere in a few short years. It was hard enough to keep track of a regular pre-schooler, let alone one who could disappear into thin air.

Kyra could not help but wonder how many other unexpected surprises and milestones were in store and she tried to ignore the discomfort brought about by that thought.

She wanted feel like a well-prepared parent. And she wanted to be able to help and guide her little boy through all that lay in store. But the fact of the matter was that his childhood would be much different than hers—she’d been a regular human child and Adrien was far from it.

She was grateful that Darra would be around, and grateful that his own experiences would help them in the coming years, but that did not make her feel any less inadequate.

Adrien had begun to squirm and she watched as his bright smile turned into a furrowed brow. She had quickly come to recognize that expression and Kyra slid her chair back so that she could stand.

“He needs a change.” She said, taking a few steps forward and holding out her arms. “I’ll take him to the nursery.”

Amelia did not hesitate to pass him to her and Krya briefly wondered if the woman had ever changed a nappy in her life. She was willing to bet that she hadn’t.

Kyra was about to turn towards the hall when she saw Imogen jump up as well, her eyes set on her nephew.

“I’ll help!” She proclaimed, surprisingly chipper about the prospect of changing the infant.

It was really a one person job but Kyra certainly didn’t mind the company and it would be nice to chat with her sister-in-law away from the others for a bit. They never had as much fun when her parents were around.

“If you’re sure that you can tolerate the smell, then you’re more than welcomed.” She said as the other young woman walked towards her.

“I’m pretty sure we’ve vanquished bigger threats,” Imogen replied with a smirk. The two had spent several years working for the DMI together and had made quite a formidable team. When Kyra had first met the elf thirteen years ago, she never could have guessed that they would one day be so close—when she’d first received her powers, Imogen had been annoyed and distant. But after a couple of months her softer side had been revealed.

She missed working with her now but she hoped to return when Adrien was old enough to begin pre-school.

As they rounded the corner and began to make their way down the long hallway that led to the nursery, Kyra asked how things had been going at the old office.

“Tolerably, I guess.” Imogen replied with a shrug. “I’ve been paired off with Paisley most days—she’s fine, but she’s not you. It’s just not the same.”

Kyra smiled, glad to hear that she had not been easily replaced. “I did hate to abandon you, Immo.” She said honestly. “I hope you’ll take me back in a year or two”

“Of course!” The girl replied, opening the door to the nursey so that Kyra and Adrien could enter. “I’ll be counting down the days!” She paused, looking at the infant for a moment before finishing. “Not that I blame you in the least for spending time with this adorable little man.”

Kyra smiled again as she placed Adrien down on the changing table. Perhaps it was a bit odd, but her in-law’s house was so large that they had never gotten rid of the old nursey Imogen and Darra had spent their childhoods in. There had been no need to repurpose the room, she supposed, since there were hundreds of other rooms available for use. Their home was quite literally a castle—and while they only really used one wing, it was the most massive residence she had even been in. It was hard to believe that her husband had grown up surrounded by all of this. If she hadn’t seen it for herself, she never would have guessed.

“What’s with that expression?” Imogen asked, breaking the young mother away from her thoughts. “You haven’t even opened the nappy yet.”

Kyra figured that she must have looked uncharacteristically serious during her musings and she quickly looked up with a smile.

“Oh, nothing really.” She said, not wanting to cause any undue worry. “I guess…” She began again, a bit more hesitantly than before. “It’s a bit weird being here sometimes.” She admitted, glancing around the elaborate nursery. “It’s hard to believe you and Darra actually grew up here. It feels like a different world, and I suppose it is.”

Imogen looked around for a moment before letting out a small snort. “It wasn’t that great, trust me.” She replied, leaning against the wall nearest to the changing table. “It’s a nice nursey, I guess. And we had all the toys we could possibly want. But that doesn’t really make up for other things that we were lacking.”  

Kyra raised an eyebrow. She had a feeling that the girl was referring to her absentee parents, but she didn’t want to press her.

It was a sensitive topic for both her husband and her sister-in-law.

“Sometimes…” Kyra began again, looking down at Adrien who had begun to kick his pudgy legs as she unfastened the nappy.

There was a pause before Imogen propped her forward.

“What?” She asked curiously.

The young woman let out a long sigh. She hadn’t fully mustered the courage to confess her resent fears to Darra, but voicing them with his sister felt a little bit easier. And perhaps she would be able to help.

“Sometimes I feel like I don’t know enough about your world to be the sort of mother Adrien needs.” Kyra said, keeping her eyes on her adorably perfect son as she continued her work. “I mean, of course I love him more than I thought possible and I’d do anything I can for him. And I know I’ve learned a lot about the magical world over the years. But sometimes it’s still a bit weird to me. I didn’t know about the star summoning thing. And until tonight I didn’t realize children start jumping as early as age four. And that just makes me wonder how many other things I don’t know. I know I should just ask Darra and tell him how I feel, because he does know everything—I’ve just been feeling so inadequate and I don’t know where to start.”

Imogen looked at her for a moment before running a gentle hand over her nephew’s forehead, eliciting a joyful smile from the infant.

Kyra smiled for a moment too, happy that, at least for now, her boy was content.

“First of all,” the elf began, offering a reassuring smile. “I think all new parents, magical or not, worry that they’re not doing things right.”

She nodded in agreement, having tried to tell herself the same thing many times before. It hadn’t stopped her worries, however. Other parents hadn’t given birth to a child who wasn’t exactly the same species, after all.

“But I think the only thing that really matters is being there and supporting him through all of his ups and downs. There is no doubt in my mind that you’re the sort of mum that will do that.”

“Fine,” Kyra conceded before doing up the fresh nappy and tossing the old one aside. “But I’m not an elf. Not really. How am I supposed to be there for him when I might not always understand what he’s going though? I wasn’t ready for this. I guess…” She hesitated again, wondering if she could continue. “I wouldn’t change a thing about him, but I guess I thought he’d be a bit more like me. He looks way more at home in a place like this than he ever will in my world.”

Much to her relief, Imogen did not seem the least bit offended by her confession and simply offered her another warm smile.

“I get it.” She began, glancing down at the tiny elf once more. “I think we all expected him to be a regular halfling, but clearly he’s not.”

“Darra’s so proud, I don’t think I can tell him how much it worries me. I don’t want him to think…”

Imogen cut in. “You’re worrying too much, Kyra. You know that Darra would never question your love for him or Adrien. He’ll understand that you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, trust me.” She paused for a moment. “He’d probably kill me if I told you this, but I overheard him talking to Maxwell in a panic one night a few months before Adrien was born. He wanted to know if the professor had any books about human infant development. He didn’t want to tell you, but he was freaking out too.”

The young woman’s eye’s winded in surprise as she tried to picture that scene. They all still turned to their old professor in times of trouble and he had remained a mentor to her husband over the years. It wasn’t too shocking that Darra had gone to him for guidance, but she was surprised to hear that he had been worried about his own possible inadequacies as well. She hadn’t really thought about it, but if the shoe was on the other foot, he probably would have been just as worried as she was right now.

Apparently, he had already spent a bit of time in a panic. And that probably meant that he would understand her fears.

“I can’t believe he didn’t tell me.” Kyra replied, letting out a long breath.

She had liked to think that they were open with each other although, she supposed, she couldn’t really blame him when she had been doing the exact same thing.

“And he’ll probably be surprised that you haven’t talked to him about it too.” Imogen pointed out astutely. “You’re both too stubborn and proud for your own goods, sometimes.”

Kyra sent her a mock glare before sheepishly nodding in agreement. She didn’t like to admit it, but the other woman made a fair point.

“You’re right, I’ll talk to him.” Kyra said as she scooped the infant up into her arms and held him against her chest. “Don’t worry, your daddy knows all about elf stuff. He’ll help us.” She whispered, placing a gentle kiss on his left ear. The boy let out another happy coo, and she silently thanked her lucky stars that he was such a good-natured baby. Apparently, she had been too and she supposed that was one of many things she had probably passed on.

“So, what’s the next milestone that I should expect, then?” She asked, turning towards her sister-in-law as she began to bounce him gently. “Do elven babies start summoning dragons at seven months or something?”

Thankfully, Imogen let out a short laugh. “No, thank god.” She answered, amused. “But I’d keep him away from plants if there are non-magical people around. He’ll probably start making them dance around a bit, during the next month or two.”

Kyra bit her lip for a moment. “Okay, good to know.” She said, drawing a deep breath. “You’re going to keep mummy on her toes, aren’t you little guy?”

Adrien let out a quiet squeal, which seemed to provide affirmation, and the two woman laughed as they began to make their way back down the hall where the rest of the family was waiting.   

It was certainly going to be an adventure, Kyra mused with a small smile. There would be ups and downs, trials and tribulations.

But with her magical family at her side, she knew they would make it through.  


	3. Epilogue- Seventeen Years Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little epilogue because I can't get this out of my head. The struggle for those caught between worlds continues well into the future. Kyra tries her best.

It had been an unusually quiet Saturday afternoon and forty-five-year-old Kyra Blackwell had been enjoying a bit of alone time in the manor’s sunny reading room. But, as the mother of two teenagers knew, these precious moments were often few and far between nowadays.

Adrien had definitely been experiencing dramatic mood swings during the past several years and even Ella, now fourteen, had occasionally started slamming doors and sulking around the house.

She was displeased, but not overly surprised, when the loud voice of her seventeen-year-old son filtered down the hallway, breaking her weekend bliss.

Kyra let out a soft sigh as she closed her current book and began her reluctant trek towards the angry sounds that she could hear. At first, she wasn’t certain who was on the receiving end of Adrien’s current ire but, as she approached the kitchen, she could make out the sound of her husband’s muffled voice as well. Darra seemed upset about something as well, a fact that was slightly more surprising. He was usually the calmest in the household and often managed to maintain a level head during the tensest of parenting moments. Apparently, however, something had pushed him over the edge that day.

“You will sit down and explain yourself immediately, Adrien Blackwell!” She heard him command as she finally opened the old wooden door that led to the site of the current family drama. “Don’t you dare walk out that door!”

As Kyra quickly assessed the situation she noted that it did indeed look like the teen had been making a dash for the exit. Unluckily for him, she was now blocking it and she folded her arms firmly across her chest as she exchanged a look with her husband. After several years of this, they were experts and these sorts of parenting team-ups.

Before she could even say a word, Adrien shot her an annoyed glare and slumped back against the nearest wall with a loud humph.

“What’s with all the shouting?” She asked, hoping one of the two would provide her with an explanation. “I thought we had all agreed to talk things out calmly from now on.”

Her son snorted before adjusting the blue cap he had been wearing quite often recently. Personally, she thought it looked a bit silly and wasn’t sure why he wanted to cover up his lovely black locks—but she supposed it was simply the style right now and she had chosen not to press him on it. There had been more than enough things to debate with him in recent months and any wise parent knew that one had to pick their battles.

“I was trying to make a sandwich when dad went off on me.” Adrien mumbled, his tall lanky frame still tense with annoyance. “I just want to go back to my room.”

Darra’s lips pressed into a thin line. “You know that’s not it.” He quickly returned. The boy had reached his height during the last year, but he still managed to stare him down with a fatherly glare of disappointment. Adrien shifted uncomfortably but did not retort.

Her husband turned towards her.

“I just had a call from Maxwell.” He explained, referring to the Professor who had once taught them both. Adrien had started in his DMI training course that fall and the professor was still going strong.

“Apparently, our son missed class on Thursday and Friday. Maxwell was checking to see if he was feeling better.”

Kyra could not suppress a disappointed sigh. Even a quick glance at her son was enough to know that he was not sick and she had been home from work on both of those days—Adrien had not been in the house, nor had he told them anything about missing class.

Clearly, something was up and she could not help but worry. The boy may have been moody and short tempered at times, but he had always been a good student. Missing class was a new development for him and she hoped it would not become a frequent trend.  

She now understood why Darra was so upset.

“Adrien.” She began, her eyes narrowing. “Your father is right. You owe us an explanation. And it had better be a good one.”

She watched as the boy gritted his teeth in defiance but she recognized the look of panic in his eyes as well. He knew he had been caught, and he was cornered.

Well, he would have been cornered if he hadn’t had magical options to fall back on, that was.  

In a last ditch effort to escape the interrogation the teen began to raise his right hand in front of him, a faint blue glow forming around his fingers.

Before he had a chance to magically jump out of the room, however, Darra sent a blast of magic in his direction. Adrien shot back into the nearest chair, his magical fingers now securely behind his back.

Kyra could have sworn that the boy muttered something about “stupid elf magic” under his breath but she chose to ignore it. There were more pressing matters at hand.

“Explain. Now.” She said, as firmly as she could without raising her voice.

There was a pause as Adrien looked around in panic for a moment before finally realizing that he was well and truly trapped.

“Fine.” The boy said, his brown eyes flashing with teenage rage. “If you must know I was with Gwen. I won’t skip class again. Happy now?”

“Who?” Darra asked in confusion, his brow furrowed, but Kyra’s eyes widened as she realized who he was referring to.

This was certainly not what she had been expecting, and a dozen more questions instantly popped into her mind.

“Gwen Morrison?” She asked. The look on Adrien’s face confirmed her suspicions.

Kyra didn’t know her well, but she had seen the other teen around over the years when they had gone to visit her father. Gwen lived next door to her dad and, as far as Kyra knew, was a regular human girl.  She was pretty with auburn hair, and she usually waved cheerfully when they went past. Kyra knew that Adrien had talked to her on occasion, but she had certainly not expected him to skip school to see her. There must have been more going on than she realized.

“I didn’t know you were friends.”

To her surprise, a slight flush began to creep across her son’s face.

… _or more than friends_ , she thought, her eyes widening.

Part of her was excited to think that her son had found a girlfriend, but she reminded herself that this did not excuse the lying and sneaking around.  

“We hang out.” He muttered, his gaze now averted towards the floor in discomfort. “Can I go now?”

Darra gave an annoyed huff. “Definitely not.” He replied, shaking his head. “I still have no idea what is going on here. Or why this justifies missing school.”

“Gwen is the girl who lives next door to my dad.” Kyra said, quickly filling him in. “But you’re right, that doesn’t explain why he’d be skipping school.”  

“Because human school was on holiday and we wanted to do stuff! _Now_ can I go!?” the teen clearly hoped he could keep his explanation to a minimum and was not pleased that he had already shared more than he wanted. Unfortunately for him, he had two magical parents who were not about to let him off that easily.

“Wait…” Darra began, trying to process the situation. Kyra could hear the confusion in his voice and she silently hoped that her husband would think before he spoke. “You missed two days of school to hang out with a human girl who lives next door to your grandfather?”

Adrien instantly let out an angry growl as he struggled against the invisible magical force which was still keeping him in the chair.

“See! That look! That voice! That’s exactly why I didn’t want to say anything!” He exclaimed, directing his rage towards his baffled father. “I knew you wouldn’t get it, dad! You may think you’re progressive and tolerant or whatever, but you’re just as bad as every other prejudiced elf! I didn’t want to deal with your judgemental nonsense!”

She could tell that the boy had struck a nerve but, thankfully, Darra managed to mask most of his anger at that retort. The only giveaway was his tightly clenched fist at his side.

“Adrien,” Kyra began again, her voice softer than it had been before in an attempt to quell the growing tension in the room. “Your father isn’t judging you for spending time with a human, we’re both just trying to figure out what would possess you to skip class and lie to us. That’s the part we’re disappointed about.”

The teen scoffed. “Maybe that’s the part you’re disappointed about, mum.” He conceded before turning back towards his dad. “But I know what _he’s_ like. He’s just as bad a Grandpa Blackwell when he goes on about family legacy and all of that nonsense. It would never occur to him that maybe I don’t want anything to do with that!”

She could feel her husband’s anger rise, but she shot him a pointed look. Thankfully, he seemed to catch her drift and did not reply.

For her part, Kyra quickly tried to contemplate the best response. Clearly, something big was bothering Adrien and she silently chided herself for not picking up on it sooner. Apparently, he’d been spending a lot of time with a human girl. Dating her, by the sounds of it. And it seemed that this had made him uncomfortable with his own place in the magical world.

They had dealt with various issues over the years, and she thought that she knew her son fairly well. These may have been trying times, but Adrien was still a good kid. Smart, witty, fun loving.

Like it or not, he took after her husband in a lot of ways. From the wide smile to the pointed elven ears. It had been a bit of a surprise when both of her children had been born looking as if they were full blooded elves but, they had reasoned, her unique triling blend must have been enough to mark them as undoubtedly magical. At first, it had taken a bit of adjustment to take on the task of raising two very elven kids and she had been grateful for her husband’s knowledge on that front.

It wasn’t something she thought much about nowadays, and perhaps that had backfired now. Kyra had no idea her son was so unhappy with who and what he was.

“It’s great that you and Gwen have become…close.” Kyra said carefully, hoping her words did not send him into another spiral. “But I’m sure you can spend time with her without missing your classes. Your studies are important, Adrien.”

The boy snorted again.

“Are they?” He asked, temper still flaring. “Everyone just assumes I’m going to do the same thing that all Blackwell’s do. I’m supposed to finish my magical training, work at the DMI, and then take over the magical treasury when dad retires. But maybe that’s not what I want. Neither of you seems to care about that.”

“We—” Kyra began to speak, but her son continued before she could utter a sentence.

“Maybe I just want to be normal. With Gwen. And if you don’t understand that then, fine. I don’t care. I can get by on my own!”

The woman drew a breath, once again trying to steady herself. From the tone of his voice, she could tell that he had been keeping this pent up for quite a long time. In a way, it seemed good for him to vent his anxieties—she just wished she knew the best way to help him through.

“You don’t need to be dramatic, Adrien.” She began with a small sigh. “We’ll always be here for you, and you don’t have to follow the same path as your father.” She paused. “Isn’t that right Darra?”

Her husband nodded slowly. She could see that he was still taken aback by all of this but was grateful for his silent support. Despite what their son may think, she knew that he had also struggled with the family legacy back in the day. Sure, he had eventually decided to do much of what his own father had wished and had ended up enjoying that career choice more than he anticipated, but it had not always been easy. Darra and Jarred had clashed back in the day and the older Blackwell was still a bit too old fashioned for either of their liking. But things were relatively calm on that front nowadays and Adrien had no idea what his father’s own teenage years had been like.

“We’ll support any career choices you make.” Kyra continued. “And you are normal. There is nothing wrong with you, Adrien.”

Adrien instantly let out a bitter laugh at her words and she knew that they were not out of the woods yet.

“Normal?” He asked, raising a dark eyebrow. “God, you’ve clearly lost touch after all of these years in the magical world, mum.” The boy continued bitterly. “I grew up in a castle that is invisible to humans, I go to school in a hidden library, my fingers glow with magic and, worst of all, I have ridiculous pointy ears! You might think that’s all normal but ninety-nine percent of the population would disagree! I’m a freak!”   

Although he had been fighting to maintain his calm Darra could not suppress a strangled choking noise during Adrien’s rant. Kyra glanced over to see her husband’s eyes wide with hurt and anger and she knew that she would not be able to keep him silent any longer. Her heart began to beat faster in her chest as she braced herself for the building argument.

To her surprise, Darra’s first words were low and quiet. “Take off that hat, Adrien.” He said as he took a step towards their son. “Now.”

Kyra was instantly confused by Darra’s sudden preoccupation with their son’s fashion choice but Adrien’s eyes narrowed.

“Make me.”

“I can and I will.”

The boy hesitated before giving a frustrated cry and finally raising his left hand towards his head. Angerly, he yanked off the blue cap and threw it to the floor, never taking his glare off of his father.

She was surprised to see that his ears had a rounded human appearance—she had seen him like this before, of course. Any time they jumped into the human world. All elves disguised themselves as an automatic defense against detection. But they weren’t in the human world now. They were home. And it was strange to see him like that in this context.

After another moment, Kyra noticed, much to her dislike, that the skin around Adrien’s ears had taken on a reddish hue. They looked raw and sore, and she was quite sure that see could see a few light scratch marks around them, as if he had been itching there in discomfort.

“How long?” Darra asked in the same low tone, folding his arms as he looked down at the boy with an odd combination of sadness and irritation.

Kyra wasn’t sure what he meant, but apparently Adrien did.

“Seven days.” The teen snapped back. “A new record. And I’m going to keep practicing until I can keep up the spell permanently.” He seemed proud of this announcement, but the shock on her husband’s face only deepened.

Kyra wanted to ask what was going on, but it was quite clear to her that this was an elf thing that, as a triling, she could not quite understand. Thankfully, her confusion was soon abated.

“Seven days!” Darra breathed, shaking his head in disbelief. He seemed more deflated than he had a few moments before. “You know you’re not supposed to keep that enchantment up for more than twenty-four hours! The pain is unbearable!”

Adrien smirked but the mother could tell it was mostly a brave bravado. “Maybe it’s unbearable for full-blooded elves but, unlike you, I’m part human. I can manage it. And I’ll manage to stay human too. Eventually.” His voice faltered at the last word but he attempted to put on a confident air.

Darra shook his head, clearly unconvinced. “You may be part human but, like it or not, you look like an elf, Adrien. You can’t change that. And we both know that you can’t keep this up, no matter how hard you try.” The man reached out, his fingers gently brushing against one of the teen’s disguised ears. Despite his best efforts, Adrien let out a wince of pain and Kyra felt her heart drop. There was no doubt in her mind that he was suffering more than he was willing to let on and she hated that her son thought that he needed to put himself though this.

In her eyes, he was perfect as he was. He had always been her handsome little elf.

Clearly, he had started to struggle with this fact and she, more than most, knew what it was like to feel like a freak. But he couldn’t hide who he was.

There had to be another way.

“Take the enchantment off, Adrien.” Kyra said, unable to stand back any longer. “This is too much. You’re clearly in pain and the skin is all red and raw. You can’t go on like this.”

“But—”

“Do it this second or your father will lift the enchantment for you.” She said, threatening the teen with the loss of his last semblance of control. Perhaps it was harsh, but the pain needed to be put to a stop.

The boy looked up at the ceiling, visibly displeased, before finally giving his head a shake and allowing his actual ears to reappear.

Despite himself, Adrien let out a faint sigh of relief. Kyra felt a wave of relief as well. The redness seemed to fade instantly, and it was good to see him looking like himself again—even if it not what he claimed he wanted.

“Are you finally happy now?” He asked, looking back and forth between his bewildered and exacerbated parents. “I won’t skip school anymore and I look like a freak again. Are we good?”

“No, we’re not good. And you’re not a freak. Please, stop saying that.” Kyra replied, taking a few wary steps towards the nearest chair as she continued to face her son. She hesitated for a moment before asking the question that had been on her mind for the past several minutes. She needed to explain why he was so vehement all of a sudden. “This week, when you were with Gwen,” she began slowly. “Did you tell her your secret?”

She could not help but wonder if the girl’s rejection is what had spurred his current anger.

The teen’s eyes grew wide and his back stiffened. “No!” He instantly shot back. “I can’t show her these!” He said, gesturing towards his unmistakeable elven ears. “She’ll hate me!”  

The two parents exchanged a brief glance and Kyra tried to steady herself with a soothing breath before she continued.

“Look, Adrien.” She began in what she hoped was a comforting tone. “I don’t know Gwen well, but if you two have become close, and if she truly cares about you, she won’t hate you because of one physical feature.”

“It’s not the same as being insecure about my nose or my height or something, mum.” The boy pointed out, his anger slowly being edged out by worry. “If she sees me like this I’ll have to explain everything. I’ll have to tell her that I can do magic and that we’re not even the same species. That isn’t going to go well.”

There was a short pause. She could understand his anxiety but, in her mind, the same message was still relevant.

“You don’t know that.” Kyra replied, hoping he would listen to reason. “Sure, it may be a bit complicated to explain everything but that still doesn’t mean things are doomed. Trust me, when two people love each other, nothing else matters.”

Adrien instantly blushed at the mention of love. Even though he had started to calm, there was no doubt that this was still an uncomfortable situation for him.

She felt Darra place a warm hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him for a moment, a warm smile on her face. While it was true that she had known about magic and become part of that world before they had gotten together, their path had not always been easy either. Technically, they were quite different—but she had never once been put off by that fact. His magical quirks were one of the things that she found most appealing about him and it was nearly impossible to imagine herself with a ‘regular’ guy.

“Three days.” Darra said suddenly, giving his son a pointed look. “My record was three days.”

“What?” Adrien asked, confused. Kyra looked up at him as well, unsure of what he was referring two.

The man hesitated for a second before choosing to explain. “I never told you this,” he began, glancing at his wife. “But way back in the day, after you turned me down for that first date, I tried hiding my ears too. I managed to do it for three days before it finally became too painful.”

This was certainly news to her and she was surprised to hear that he had once tried to mask who he was, no matter the cost. Darra had always seemed like such a proud elf and he had never given any indication that he wanted to be human. It was an odd thought.

“But…why?” The woman questioned, unable to hold back her confusion.

Her husband gave a small smile and shook his head, recalling the distant memory. “Because,” he began again. “I thought that maybe you turned me down because you wanted to be with someone who you saw as normal. Magic was still new to you back then, and I was worried that you didn’t want to date an elf.”

Kyra allowed her mouth to fall open. “That’s ridiculous!” She exclaimed, shaking her head in return. “I only said no because I was so overwhelmed—and I told you I regretted it later.”

“I know that now.” He replied, smiling at her once more before turning back towards their son who had been listening with wide eyes. “But I was an insecure teenager back then, and I’d never tried to date a sort-of human before. So I attempted something stupid.”

She noticed that Adrien’s mouth was also wide and he appeared taken aback by the thought.

“But…” He said, brow furrowing. “That’s weird, dad. You’re just…you. Of course mum wouldn’t want you to change!”

Darra gave the teen a knowing look.

“Exactly.” He said, his eyebrow raised.

Adrien slowly looked down at the floor and Kyra hoped that he was finally rethinking his earlier inclinations. She was grateful that her husband had shared his own experiences and she watched as their son drew several deep breaths.

“Okay.” He said quietly, looking back up at their pair with a somewhat less cloudy expression on his young, handsome face. “I’ll think about stuff. I guess.” The boy paused. “And I won’t skip school again.”

She could see Darra’s shoulders slowly relax. “Good.” He replied, waving his hand and freeing the boy from his interrogation chair. Adrien stood up, happy to regain his full mobility. Biting his lip, he tossed his blue cap onto the kitchen counter and averted his gaze back down.

“I have some reading to catch up on.” He muttered, somewhat sheepishly. Kyra and Darra exchanged another glance.

“Go ahead, sweetheart.” The mother replied, nodding towards the door. “I’m going to check in with Maxwell and make sure you’ve caught up before you go on any more outings.”

The teen scowled but, wisely, chose not to reply.

With a defeated grumble, Adrien made his way out of the room, leaving the door to swing shut behind him. As his footsteps became fainter, Kyra let out a loud sigh of relief. The last several minutes had been tense, to say the least, but it seemed that a crisis had been averted.

For now.

It would take more than one talk to help the boy accept his place in the world, but it was positive to think that some progress had already been made. She hoped he would think twice before harming himself for the sake of another.

“That is not where I was expecting that to go.” Darra admitted as he collapsed into the chair across from her at the table. He ran a hand through his hair for a moment, causing it to stick up in a way that accentuated his own pointed ears.

Despite it all, Kyra could not suppress a smile.

“Thanks for saving the day, darling.” She replied, eliciting the handsome smile she would always love so dearly.

Decades ago, she never could have anticipated anything about her current life. She had married a magical being and was now the mother of two others. Some days, when she really paused to think about how much she had gone through, it really did seem surreal. But even during afternoons like this, she knew that she would not change a thing.    


End file.
